Vehicle Collision Control for Low-Height Road Obstacles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing autonomous driving technologies struggle to effectively manage collision avoidance with low-height obstacles, such as fallen objects on the road, without unnecessary intervention when the driver is not actively responding to notifications.
Innovation Solution
A control apparatus and method for a vehicular system that includes a recognizing unit to detect obstacles, an operation determiner to assess collision possibility, and a notification system to inform occupants of potential collisions. The system determines whether to execute a collision-avoidance assistance operation based on whether the occupant has responded to the notification and the nature of the obstacle, specifically excluding low-height objects that the vehicle can safely pass over.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the vehicle executes collision-avoidance assistance operations for all detected obstacles, then safety is improved, but unnecessary interventions occur for low-height objects that can be safely passed over
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different quality thresholds to different types of obstacles. Low-height objects are classified separately from other obstacles, allowing the vehicle to pass over them without collision-avoidance intervention, while other obstacles trigger appropriate safety responses
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of obstacle height to determine appropriate response. By measuring the height parameter of detected obstacles and comparing it against a threshold, the system decides whether to execute collision-avoidance operations or allow passage
2Loss of information
If the system notifies occupants of all potential collision risks, then awareness is improved, but driver response becomes diluted when low-height obstacles are included
Solution Approach 1:
The notification system applies different alert levels based on obstacle characteristics. Only obstacles that pose genuine collision risks trigger notifications, while low-height objects are excluded from alerting, maintaining driver attention for meaningful warnings
3Ease of operation
If the vehicle passes over low-height objects without collision-avoidance operations, then convenience is improved, but safety may be compromised if the object is not correctly identified
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection and classification of obstacles before executing collision-avoidance operations. By identifying low-height objects in advance and categorizing them separately, the system can safely pass over them without triggering unnecessary safety interventions
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces mechanical collision-avoidance operations with sensor-based detection and classification. By using detection devices to identify obstacle characteristics, the system determines appropriate responses without relying solely on mechanical safety systems
Data Source
AI summary
In a control apparatus, upon determination that an obstacle has a collision possibility, an operation determiner determines to instruct a notification system to issue, to an occupant, a notification related to the collision possibility with the obstacle. The operation determiner determines whether a collision-avoidance operation has been carried out by the occupant since the issuance of the notification. The operation determiner determines not to instruct the vehicle motion control system to execute a collision-avoidance assistance operation upon determination that (i) no collision-avoidance operations have been carried out by the occupant since the issuance of the notification and (ii) the obstacle having the collision possibility is a low-height object, the low-height object being defined as an object that has fallen on a road and has a height that is sufficiently low that the vehicle is enabled to pass over the obstacle.